Down Flow Type Ice Making Machine

ABSTRACT

A down flow type ice making machine in which an ice storage detector is protected against damage and occurrence of failure can be suppressed. An ice storage bin ( 12   a ) for storing ice cubes (M) is defined in an ice storage compartment ( 12 ). Upper rear wall ( 16 ) of the ice storage compartment ( 12 ) is formed of a wall portion ( 16   a ) extending vertically, and a wall portion ( 16   b ) extending horizontally rearward from the lower end of the vertical wall portion ( 16   a ). At an upper portion in the ice storage bin ( 12   a ), a down flow ice making unit ( 18 ) is arranged while spaced apart by a predetermined interval forward from the vertical wall portion ( 16   a ) and ice cubes (M) produced by the ice making unit ( 18 ) are stored in the ice storage bin ( 12   a ). Below the ice making unit ( 18 ), an ice making water tank ( 32 ) equipped with a section ( 32   a ) for collecting ice making water not used for making ice cubes in the ice making unit ( 18 ) is disposed. An ice storage detector ( 40 ) for detecting the ice cubes (M) fully filled in the ice storage bin ( 12   a ) is mounted on the horizontal wall portion ( 16   b ) of the ice making water tank ( 32 ) located in the rear of the collecting section ( 32   a ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a down flow type ice making machineconfigured to have a down flow ice making unit disposed at an upperportion inside an ice storage bin defined in an ice storage compartment,and store ice cubes, made by the ice making unit, in the ice storagebin.

BACKGROUND ART

As an ice making machine that automatically makes ice cubes, there isknown a down flow type ice making machine which has a down flow icemaking unit having a pair of ice making plates disposed substantiallyvertically at an upper portion inside an ice storage bin defined insidean ice making machine, facing each other and sandwiching an evaporationtube constituting a freezing system, and lets ice-making water flow downto the top surface (ice making surface) of each ice making plate, whichis to be cooled by a coolant to be circulated into the evaporation tube,in an ice making operation to produce ice cubes, deices the obtained icecubes in a deicing operation shifted therefrom, and stores the ice cubesin the ice storage bin (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The down flow type ice making machine has an ice storage detectingdevice disposed at either one of the left and right inner side wallsdefining the ice storage bin, and executes operation control so as tostop an ice making-deicing operation when the ice storage detectingdevice detects that ice cubes stored in the ice storage bin have reacheda predetermined amount (detection of full ice), and resume the icemaking-deicing operation when some ice cubes are removed from the icestorage bin to reduce the storage amount, so that the ice storagedetecting device no longer detects ice cubes.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-294912

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The down flow type ice making machine is configured in such a way that atake-out port is formed at the front surface of the ice storagecompartment, and ice cubes are removed with a scoop or the like insertedin the room through the take-out port. In this case, the ice storagedetecting device is located at such a position where the scoop or thelike inserted through the take-out port is contactable, so that at thetime of removing ice cubes, the scoop or the like may contact the icestorage detecting device, damaging the ice storage detecting device.

If only ice cubes on the side where the ice storage detecting device islocated are removed at the time of taking out ice cubes from the icestorage bin, only the ice cubes on that side are reduced, so that evenif the ice storage bin is substantially full with ice, the ice storagedetecting device does not detect the full ice state, and the icemaking-deicing operation will resume. In this case, on the side whereice cubes are not removed, ice cubes are deposited to the position atwhich the ice making plates are located, so that ice cubes made by thedown flow ice making unit thereafter are inhibited from dropping fromthe ice making plates which results in double ice making, thus causing afailure.

Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to suitably solvethe inherent problems of the conventional down flow type ice makingmachine, and it is an object of the invention to provide a down flowtype ice making machine which can prevent an ice storage detectingdevice from being damaged and suppress occurrence of a failure.

Means for Solving the Problems

To overcome the problems and suitably achieve the expected object, adown flow type ice making machine according to the subject matter inclaim 1 is a down flow type ice making machine having an ice storagecompartment having an ice storage bin to store ice cubes definedtherein, and a take-out port for ice cubes formed on a front side, adown flow ice making unit which is disposed at an upper portion insidethe ice storage bin in such a way as to extend in a left and rightdirection and makes ice from ice-making water supplied in a flow-downmanner, and collecting means disposed below the down flow ice makingunit to collect ice-making water which has not been used in making icein the down flow ice making unit, characterized in that

an ice storage detecting device which detects that ice cubes are storedin a full ice state in the ice storage bin is arranged rearward of thecollecting means.

According to the subject matter in claim 1, the collecting means caninhibit a scoop or the like inserted in the ice storage bin through thetake-out port from contacting the ice storage detecting device, thuspreventing the ice storage detecting device from being damaged.

The gist of the subject matter of claim 2 is that the ice storagedetecting device has a detection plate extending in a left and rightdirection along the down flow ice making unit by a predetermined length,and detects the full ice state as the detection plate is activated byice cubes stored in the ice storage bin.

According to the subject matter in claim 2, even when ice cubes areremoved unevenly from either the left or right side in the ice storagebin, the full ice state of ice cubes can be detected by the detectionplate extending in the left and right direction, and it is possible toprevent occurrence of double ice making and a failure thereby byperforming adequate ice making-deicing operation control.

The gist of the subject matter of claim 3 is that the down flow icemaking unit is configured to have a pair of ice making plates arrangedback and forth, facing each other, so that ice cubes dropping from bothice making plates are guided back and forth of the ice storage bin viaan ice guide member disposed directly below the down flow ice makingunit.

According to the subject matter in claim 3, ice cubes can be storedsubstantially evenly in the ice storage bin, so that the ice storagedetecting device arranged rearward of the collecting means can properlydetect the full ice state.

Advantage of the Invention

The down flow type ice making machine according to the present inventioncan prevent the ice storage detecting device from being damaged at thetime ice cubes are removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a down flow typeice making machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional front view of the down flowtype ice making machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing an icestorage detecting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the relationship between the icestorage detecting device and an ice-making water tank according to theembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the ice storage detecting device according tothe embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   12 ice storage compartment-   12 a ice storage bin-   18 down flow ice making unit-   20 a take-out port-   26 ice making plate-   32 a collecting section (collecting means)-   38 ice guide member-   40 ice storage detecting device-   52 detection plate-   M ice cubes

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, a down flow type ice making machine according to the presentinvention will be described below by way of a preferred embodimentreferring to the accompanying drawings. The “front”, “rear”, “left”, and“right” in the following description are the terms used when viewing adown flow type ice making machine from the front side as shown in FIG. 2unless otherwise specified.

Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing a down flowtype ice making machine according to an embodiment, and an ice storagecompartment 12 with a heat insulating structure and an ice storage bin12 a for storing a predetermined amount of ice cubes M are defined inthe down flow type ice making machine 10. The ice storage compartment 12is formed like a box open upward, and a top plate 14 is disposed at theupper end of the ice storage compartment 12 in an attachable/detachablemanner to close the upper opening. An upper rear wall 16 forming the icestorage compartment 12 includes a vertical wall portion 16 a extendingvertically and a horizontal wall portion 16 b extending horizontallyrearward from a lower end of the vertical wall portion 16 a. Then, adown flow ice making unit 18 is disposed at an upper portion inside theice storage bin 12 a in front of the vertical wall portion 16 a at apredetermined distance apart, and extending in the left and rightdirection by a predetermined length, so that ice cubes M are dropped andstored in the ice storage bin 12 a.

A take-out port 20 a is formed on the upper side of a front wall 20 ofthe ice storage compartment 12 in such a way as to face obliquelyupward, as shown in FIG. 1, so that a scoop or the like can be insertedin the ice storage bin 12 a through the take-out port 20 a to remove theice cubes M. Rail parts 22 a extending rearward from the front side by apredetermined length are formed at upper end portions of both left andright side walls 22, 22 forming the ice storage compartment 12 andfacing each other in the widthwise direction (see FIG. 2), and apull-out type open/close door 24 which can open and close the take-outport 20 a is mounted between both rail parts 22 a, 22 a in a slidablemanner. That is, as the open/close door 24 is pulled out frontward frominside the ice storage bin 12 a along the rail parts 22 a, 22 a, thetake-out port 20 a is closed by the open/close door 24, whereas as theopen/close door 24 is retained in the ice storage bin 12 a along therail parts 22 a, 22 a, the take-out port 20 a is opened.

The down flow ice making unit 18 basically comprises a pair of icemaking plates 26, 26 arranged opposite to each other in a substantiallyvertical state, and an evaporation tube 28 constituting a freezingsystem and formed in a zigzag pattern are disposed between both icemaking plates 26, 26, and the ice making plates 26, 26 are disposed inthe ice storage bin 12 a in a state facing forward and backward as shownin FIG. 1. The ice making plate 26 positioned rear with respect to thevertical wall portion 16 a is spaced apart therefrom at an intervalwhich permits dropping of ice cubes M made by the ice making plate 26.As shown in FIG. 2, the evaporation tube 28 has a linear portion 28 areciprocally extending in a zigzag pattern in the left and rightdirection of the ice making plate 26 and contacting the back surfaces ofboth ice making plates 26, 26. Then, as a coolant is circulated into theevaporation tube 28 at the time of executing an ice making operation,both ice making plates 26, 26 are compulsively cooled. At the time of adeicing operation, hot gas (high-temperature coolant) is supplied to theevaporation tube 28 by valve switching of the freezing system to heatthe ice making plates 26, 26, melting the freezing surfaces of ice cubesM produced on the top surface (hereinafter also called “ice makingsurface”), so that the ice cubes M drop by the dead weight.

A plurality of projecting portions 26 a extending in an up and downdirection are provided on the ice making surface of the ice making plate26 at predetermined intervals in the left and right direction, and anice making area 30 extending vertically is defined by a pair ofprojecting portions 26 a, 26 a adjacent in the left and right direction,as shown in FIG. 2. That is, a plurality of ice making areas 30 aredefined on the ice making surface side of the ice making plate 26according to the embodiment in parallel in the left and right direction.As shown in FIG. 2, projections 26 b for surely separating ice cubes Mwhich are deiced from the ice making surface by the deicing operationare formed at the ice making surface facing each ice making area 30 at alower end and approximately the middle position between the linearportions 28 a, 28 a spaced apart up and down in the evaporation tube 28.

An ice-making water tank 32 which stores a predetermined ice-makingwater is disposed under the down flow ice making unit 18. As shown inFIG. 4, this ice-making water tank 32 includes a collecting section(collecting means) 32 a located directly under the down flow ice makingunit 18, and a tank portion 32 b connected to one end of the collectingsection 32 a (right end in the embodiment) in the left and rightdirection and extending rearward. The collecting section 32 a has a tubshape with the bottom inclined downward toward the tank portion 32 b,allowing ice-making water deicing water received at the collectingsection 32 a to quickly flow down to the tank portion 32 b. Anunillustrated circulation pump is disposed at the tank portion 32 b, sothat ice-making water is fed under pressure to an ice-making watersprayer 34 provided above the down flow ice making unit 18 via the pump.Multiple spray holes (not shown) are formed in the ice-making watersprayer 34 shown in FIG. 1, ice-making water pumped out from theice-making water tank 32 is sprayed onto the ice making surfaces of theice making plates 26, 26 which have been cooled down to an ice-makingtemperature through the spray holes at the time of executing the icemaking operation. Then, as ice-making water flowing down on each icemaking surface is frozen at that portion of the ice making area 30 whichcontacts the linear portion 28 a of the evaporation tube 28, ice cubes Mwith a predetermined shape are produced on the ice making surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, a deicing water supply tube connected to an externalwater supply system is connected via a water supply valve (neithershown) to a deicing water sprayer 36 provided at the upper portions ofthe back sides of the ice making plates 26,26. As the water supply valveis released at the time of executing the deicing operation, deicingwater supplied to the deicing water sprayer 36 from the external watersupply system is supplied to the back sides of the ice making plates 26,26 via multiple spray holes (not shown) formed in the deicing watersprayer 36 and flows down on the back sides to accelerate melting of thefreezing surface between each ice making plate 26 and ice cubes M.

An ice guide member 38 attached to the upper end portion of thecollecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32 is disposedclose to and directly under the down flow ice making unit 18. The iceguide member 38 has a length larger than the width of the ice makingplate 26, and its cross section in the short side direction (back andforth direction) orthogonal to the lengthwise direction is formedangular as shown in FIG. 1. The ice guide member 38 is disposed in sucha way that its angular top is at the intermediate position between theback sides of both ice making plates 26, 26, so that ice cubes Mdropping from the ice making plate 26 located on the front side areguided frontward of the ice storage bin 12 a through an inclined surfaceof the ice guide member 38 which is inclined downward toward the frontside, and ice cubes M dropping from the ice making plate 26 located onthe rear side are guided rearward of the ice storage bin 12 a through aninclined surface of the ice guide member 38 which is inclined downwardtoward the rear side. A plurality of through holes 38 a are formed ineach inclined surface of the ice guide member 38, so that ice-makingwater supplied to the ice making surfaces of the ice making plates 26,26 at the time of executing the ice making operation and deicing watersupplied to the back sides of the ice making plates 26, 26 at the timeof executing the deicing operation are collected in the ice-making watertank 32 via the through holes 38 a of the ice guide member 38.

The down flow type ice making machine 10 according to the embodiment isset in such a way that on condition that dropping of the water level inthe ice-making water tank 32 to a specified water level is detected by afloat switch (not shown) after the ice making operation starts,unillustrated control means executes control to stop the ice makingoperation and shift it to the deicing operation. The ice making machineis also set in such a way that when temperature detection means detectsthat the temperature of hot gas after heat exchange with the ice makingplates 26, 26 in the deicing operation shifted becomes a preset deicingcompletion temperature, the control means executes control to stop thedeicing operation and switch it to the ice making operation.

As shown in FIG. 1, an ice storage detecting device 40 which detectsthat ice cubes M stored in the ice storage bin 12 a becomes a full icestate is disposed at the horizontal wall portion 16 b facing rearward ofthe collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32. The icestorage detecting device 40 basically includes a lead switch 44 asdetection means attached to a retaining member 42 disposed at thehorizontal wall portion 16 b in an attachable/detachable manner, adetection member 46 which is disposed at the retaining member 42 andswings back and forth, and a magnet 48 as to-be-detected means which isdisposed at the detection member 46.

As shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal wall portion 16 b is provided with apair of guide members 50, 50 spaced apart from each other in thewidthwise direction. Flange portions 42 c, 42 c are provided on bothleft and right sides of the retaining member 42, which is configured tobe pullable back and forth with the flange portions 42 c, 42 c beingsupported by the guide members 50, 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the retainingmember 42 is formed like a box open upward and frontward, and a mountpart 42 a open upward is formed at the center of the inner bottomsurface of the retaining member 42 in the widthwise direction. The leadswitch 44 is mounted on the mount part 42 a. Bearings 42 b are formed atthe inner front side of the retaining member 42 on both side portionsthereof in the widthwise direction, and the detection member 46 ispivotally supported in such a way as to be swingable forward andbackward via both bearings 42 b, 42 b.

The detection member 46 basically includes a detection plate 52extending in the left and right direction by a predetermined length,support shafts 54, 54 provided at both widthwise ends of the detectionplate 52, a holding part 56 extending rearward from the widthwise centerof the detection plate 52, and the magnet 48 disposed at the rear end ofthe holding part 56. As the support shafts 54, 54 are pivotallysupported at the bearings 42 b, 42 b provided at the retaining member42, the detection member 46 can swing back and forth about the supportshafts 54, 54. The detection member 46 is structured so that at a normalposition (solid-line position in FIG. 3) in a free state where noexternal force is applied, the detection plate 52 extends obliquelydownward in the ice storage bin 12 a from the front end of the retainingmember 42, and the magnet 48 comes close to the lead switch 44 attachedto the retaining member 42. The size of the detection plate 52 in theleft and right direction is set to ½ or greater than the size of the icestorage bin 12 a in the left and right direction, so that the storagestate of ice cubes M to be stored in the ice storage bin 12 a can bedetected over a wide range.

When the ice cubes M abut on the detection plate 52 and receive thepressure, the detection member 46 at the normal position swingsrearward, and the magnet 48 is displaced obliquely upward to reach afull-ice detection position (position of the two-dot chain line in FIG.3) spaced apart from the lead switch 44. When the pressing state by theice cubes M is released, the detection member 46 swings and shiftsfrontward under action of gravity to return to the normal position.

The lead switch 44 is connected to the control means. With the detectionmember 46 being at the normal position and the magnet 48 being close tothe lead switch 44, the lead switch 44 is set not to output a full-icesignal to the control means. Further, when the lead switch 44 is spacedapart from the magnet 48 as the detection member 46 swings and shiftsfrom the normal position to the full-ice detection position, the leadswitch 44 is set to output a full-ice signal to the control means. Thecontrol means is set in such a way that when the full-ice signal isinput from the lead switch 44 as the detection member 46 swings andshifts from the normal position to the full-ice detection position, thecontrol means determines that ice cubes M has become the full ice statewhere the ice cubes M are stored up to a predetermined position in theice storage bin 12 a, and stops the ice making-deicing operation. Thecontrol means is set in such a way that when the full-ice signal is nolonger input from the lead switch 44 as the detection member 46 swingsand shifts from the full-ice detection position to the normal position,the control means determines that the storage mount of ice cubes M inthe ice storage bin 12 a is reduced from the full ice state, and startsthe ice making-deicing operation.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the detection member 46 in the ice storagedetecting device 40 are positioned lower than the lower end of the icemaking plate 26 of the down flow ice making unit 18, so that the storagelevel of ice cubes M when the ice storage detecting device 40 makesfull-ice detection does not go beyond the lower end of the ice makingplate 26. The detection member 46 is structured in such a way that thedetection member 46 is positioned rearward of the collecting section 32a of the ice-making water tank 32, and the lower end of the detectionmember 46 is positioned higher than the lower end of the collectingsection 32 a, and cannot therefore be viewed directly through thetake-out port 20 a formed in the ice storage compartment 12. In otherwords, the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank 32 ispositioned between the take-out port 20 a and the detection member 46,so that the detection member 46 is hid behind the collecting section 32a, and the ice storage detecting device 40 is disposed at such aposition where a scoop or the like inserted through the take-out port 20a does not easily contact the detection member 46.

Operation of Embodiment

Next, the operation of the down flow type ice making machine accordingto the embodiment will be described. It is assumed that when thedetection member 46 in the ice storage detecting device 40 is at thenormal position, the control means determines that the ice storage bin12 a is not in the full ice state.

In the ice making operation, ice-making water stored in the ice-makingwater tank 32 is pumped out to the ice-making water sprayer 34 by thecirculation pump, and is supplied to the individual ice making areas 30of both of the ice making plates 26, 26 via the ice-making water sprayer34. The ice making plates 26, 26 exchange heat with the coolantcirculating in the evaporation tube 28 to be compulsively cooled, andice-making water supplied to the ice making areas 30 of the ice makingplates 26, 26 start gradually being frozen at the contact portions wherethe water contacts the linear portion 28 a of the evaporation tube 28.The ice-making water which drops from the ice making plates 26, 26without being frozen is collected in the ice-making water tank 32 viathe through holes 38 a of the ice guide member 38, and is circulated tobe supplied to the ice making plates 26, 26 again.

When a predetermined time elapses and the float switch detects thespecified water level, the control means terminates the ice makingoperation and starts the deicing operation. When the ice makingoperation is complete, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of ice cubes Mare produced, spaced apart in the up and down direction incorrespondence to the contact portions of the linear portion 28 a of theevaporation tube 28 with the ice making plate 26, in the ice makingareas 30 of the ice making plate 26.

As the deicing operation starts, the valve of the freezing system isswitched to circulate hot gas into the evaporation tube 28, and thewater supply valve is released to supply the deicing water to the backsides of the ice making plates 26, 26 via the deicing water sprayer 36,thereby heating the ice making plates 26, 26 to melt the freezingsurface with the ice cubes M. Note that the deicing water flowing downon the back sides of the ice making plates 26, 26, like the ice-makingwater, is collected in the ice-making water tank 32 via the throughholes 38 a of the ice guide member 38, and is used as ice-making waternext time.

When the ice making plate 26 is heated by the deicing operation, thefreezing surface between ice cubes M and the ice making plate 26 ismelted, so that the ice cubes M start sliding down on the ice makingplate 26. The ice cubes M sliding down on the ice making plate 26 rideover the underlying projections 26 b, so that the ice cubes M are surelyspaced apart and separated from the ice-making surface of the ice makingplate 26. The ice cubes M separated and falling from the ice makingplate 26 are received at the corresponding inclined surface of the iceguide member 38, and slide down along the inclined surface to bedischarged into the ice storage bin 12 a. In the embodiment, ice cubes Mdropping from both ice making plates 26, 26 are discharged forward andbackward by the inclined surface of the ice guide member 38, and arestored dispersed in a wide range in the ice storage bin 12 a.

When all the ice cubes M are separated from the ice making plates 26, 26and the temperature detection means detects a deicing completiontemperature due to a rise in the temperature of the hot gas, the controlmeans terminates the deicing operation and then starts the ice makingoperation.

When the above-described ice making-deicing operation is repeated andice cubes M to be stored in the ice storage bin 12 a reach the layoutposition of the ice storage detecting device 40, the ice cubes M abut onthe detection plate 52 of the detection member 46 from the front side.As the detection plate 52 is pressed by the ice cubes M from the frontside, the detection member 46 swings rearward about the support shafts54, 54. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the magnet 48 disposed at thedetection member 46 is spaced apart from the lead switch 44, at whichtime the full-ice signal is input to the control means from the leadswitch 44. Then, the control means determines that the ice storage bin12 a has become the full ice state, and performs control to stop the icemaking-deicing operation.

With the take-out port 20 a being opened as the open/close door 24 ismoved along the rail parts 22 a, 22 a to be retained in the ice storagebin 12 a, the ice cubes M can be taken out with the scoop or the likeinserted in the ice storage bin 12 a through the take-out port 20 a.Because the detection member 46 in the ice storage detecting device 40is hid behind the collecting section 32 a of the ice-making water tank32, the scoop or the like does not easily contact the detection member46 at the time of removing the ice cubes M, thus making it possible toprevent the ice storage detecting device 40 from being damaged.

When the storage amount becomes smaller as a consequence of the removalof the ice cubes M from the ice storage bin 12 a and the pressing stateof the detection member 46 by the ice cubes M is released, the detectionmember 46 swings and shifts frontward under the action of gravity, sothat the magnet 48 returns to the normal position to come close to thelead switch 44. At this time, the full-ice signal is no longer outputfrom the lead switch 44, so that the control means determines that thestorage amount of ice cubes M in the ice storage bin 12 a is reducedfrom the full ice state, and performs control to resume the icemaking-deicing operation.

When the take-out position for ice cubes M from the ice storage bin 12 ais unevenly set either the left or right side, the top of a mountain MOof ice cubes M deposited comes to either the left or right side. In thiscase, because the detection plate 52 of the detection member 46 in theice storage detecting device 40 extends in the left and right directionin the ice storage bin 12 a by a predetermined length, as shown in FIG.2 or FIG. 4, so that even if the top of the mountain MO becomes thedeposited state unevenly set on either the left or right side, the statewhere ice cubes M contact the detection plate 52 is maintained. This canavoid the situation that although the ice storage bin 12 a issubstantially the full ice state inside, the ice storage detectingdevice 40 does not detect the full ice state, thus preventing the icemaking-deicing operation from being resumed. That is, ice cubes M arenot deposited to the layout position of the ice making plate 26 on thatside where the ice cubes M are not taken out, thus preventing occurrenceof double ice making and a failure in the down flow ice making unit 18.

[Modifications]

The present application is not limited to the structure of the foregoingembodiment, and other structures can be adopted as needed.

-   1. Although the lead switch which enables or disables the full-ice    signal as the magnet approaches or moves away, is employed as the    detection means of the ice storage detecting device in the    embodiment, which is not restrictive, and it is possible to use a    micro switch or another optoelectric proximity switch or the like    which can enable or disable the full-ice signal as the pressing    portion (to-be-detected means) provided at the detection member    contacts the. switch piece or moves away therefrom.-   2. Although the detection member is disposed at the retaining member    provided on the horizontal wall portion in the embodiment, it is    possible to take the structure where the detection member is    directly disposed on the horizontal wall portion. In this case, the    detection means should be provided at the horizontal wall portion at    the position where the to-be-detected means contacts or moves away    according to the swinging of the detection member.-   3. The structure of the detection member is not limited to that of    the embodiment, and may take any form as long as full ice can be    detected by the swinging and displacement of the detection plate    extending in the left and right direction by a predetermined length    when the detection plate is activated by ice cubes.-   4. Although the foregoing description of the embodiment has been    given of the case where the collecting section constituting a part    of the ice-making water tank is the collecting means, the shape of    the ice-making water tank may be modified so that the tank itself    becomes the collecting means. Alternatively, the collecting means    and the ice-making water tank may be designed as separate parts, so    that ice-making water or deicing water collected by the collecting    means can be allowed to flow into the ice-making water tank via an    adequate tube passage.

1. A down flow type ice making machine having an ice storage compartment(12) having an ice storage bin (12 a) to store ice cubes (M) definedtherein, and a take-out port (20 a) for ice cubes (M) formed on a frontside, a down flow ice making unit (18) which is disposed at an upperportion inside the ice storage bin (12 a) in such a way as to extend ina left and right direction and makes ice from ice-making water suppliedin a flow-down manner, and collecting means (32 a) disposed below thedown flow ice making unit (18) to collect ice-making water which has notbeen used in making ice in the down flow ice making unit (18),characterized in that an ice storage detecting device (40) which detectsthat ice cubes (M) are stored in a full ice state in the ice storage bin(12 a) is arranged rearward of the collecting means (32 a).
 2. The downflow type ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein the icestorage detecting device (40) has a detection plate (52) extending in aleft and right direction along the down flow ice making unit (18) by apredetermined length, and detects the full ice state as the detectionplate (52) is activated by ice cubes (M) stored in the ice storage bin(12 a).
 3. The down flow type ice making machine according to claim 1,wherein the down flow ice making unit (18) is configured to have a pairof ice making plates (26, 26) arranged back and forth, facing eachother, so that ice cubes (M) dropping from both ice making plates (26,26) are guided back and forth of the ice storage bin (12 a) via an iceguide member (38) disposed directly below the down flow ice making unit(18).